Front throw release



Sept. 8, 1964 H, HvAM 3,147,986

FRONT THROW RELEASE Filed May 31, 1962 HJALMAR HVAM.

/NVENTO/ By l BucKHoRN, CHEATHAM a BLoRE 'lli ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent O 3,147,936 FRNT THRW RELEASE Hjalrnar Hvaxn, Rte. 1, Box 404,Beaverton, Oreg. Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 198,821 15 Claims. (til.28th- 11315) My present invention comprises an improvement in skibindings, specifically being an improved form of front throw release forsuch bindings. The object of the present invention is to provide meansfor holding a skiers boot in position upon the ski during normalmaneuvers, but which will release the boot from the ski in the event theskiers heel is raised from the surface of the ski beyond a safeposition. Such raising may occur when the skier is falling forwardlywhile the ski remains against the snow surface and pointed in thedirection of forward movement. If a skiers boot were held immobile withrespect to the ski under such conditions, something would have to break,and what usually breaks is the skiers leg. For this reason the skierwants to have his foot released before a bone snaps, a tendon is pulled,or a sprain is incurred. At the same time the skier does not want tohave his foot released until the critical danger point is reached, sincehe may wish to lean far forwardly with respect to the ski, such asduring the execution of a jump. Obviously, if his boot should bereleased during such a normal maneuver the binding would cause a seriousaccident rather than protect him from injury due to an accident causedby some other event. The present invention accomplishes the foregoing byreleasing the boot when necessary, but holding it to the ski duringviolent but well executed maneuvers.

An object of the present invention is to provide means of the foregoingcharacter which may be assembled upon 'a ski in fixed position, and yetmay be adjusted to different boot lengths without decreasing theefficiency lthereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means of theforegoing character which is easily assembled of easily manufacturedparts and yet will be sturdy and safely withstand normal using shocks.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means of theforegoing character which may be rapidly adjusted to safely release theskiers boot for persons of widely varying physical structure. Theforegoing object is accomplished by providing toggle release means whichmay be easily adjusted to cause the release to occur when a relativelylight tensioning force is applied to a tension spring assembly when theski is used by a slightly built person, or rapidly adjusted in the otherdirection to increase the amount of spring tension required to releasethe boot of a heavy person.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be more readily apparent from inspection of the followingspecication taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which a preferredform of the present invention is illustrated and described.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a ski having the present inventionapplied thereto and illustrated in operative condition;

FIG. 2 is a side View of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical section taken substantially along line 3-3of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with certain parts shown in full;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the initiation of a releasingaction of the device;

idf Patented Sept. S, 1964 ICC FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken line6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 77 of FIG.5; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the releasing means in fully releasedcondition.

In the drawings the numeral 10 represents a ski and 11 indicates atoe-engaging means such as disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No.2,994,543, issued August l, 1961. It is to be appreciated that any othersuitable toe-engaging means may be utilized in the combination. As isusual in this type of construction, a iiexible binding 12 such as asteel cable is provided, the cable being formed into an endless loop,the forward portion of which extends across the top of the ski forwardlyof the toe-engaging means 11 and the rear portion of which extendsaround the heel of the ski boot (not shown). The opposite side flightsof the cable pass through guide members .1.3 fixed to the skirespectively at opposite sides thereof, such guide members slidablyengaging the binding so that it may move longitudinally with respect tothe ski, and the guide members preventing upward movement of the forwardportion of the binding with respect to the upper surface of the ski. Therear portion of the binding, however, may raise quite a distance fromthe surface of the ski as the skier rises on this toes, thus lifting theheel of the ski boot from the surface of the ski.

The present invention comprises an anchor member 15 secured to the uppersurface of the ski along the longitudinal centerline thereof as by meansof screws 16. The anchor member comprises a hook portion 17 whichextends upwardly and then rearwardly in spaced relation to the surfaceof the ski. A first transverse pivot 1S is mounted on the anchor memberwithin the bight of the hook member 17 and a toggle assembly including atoggle generally indicated at 19 is pivotally mounted on the first pivot18 and extends rearwardly from the anchor member into engagement withthe forward end of the binding 12 through the medium of a separablebinding hook 211. When the toggle is in operative condition asillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, the binding 12 is drawn forwardlyto force the boot forwardly and hold the boot toe against thetoe-engaging means 11.

The toggle comprises a first toggle link 21 including a central portion22 operatively overlying the hook portion 17 and a spaced pair of linkarms 23 which extend rearwardly from the anchor member. A second pivotcomprising a pair of pivot studs Z4 is mounted at the free end of thefirst link and a second link 25 is pivotally supported thereby. The link25 comprises a trough-shaped member having forwardly extending spacedarms 26 which extend forwardly with their ends when in operativeposition engaged beneath the hook member 17, whereby the front end ofthe toggle is held against vertical separation relative to the surfaceof the ski. A third transverse pivot 27 spans the space between the arms26, the pivot 27 operatively lying overcenter above the centerlinebetween the first and second pivots when the toggle is in operativecondition. The tension of the binding against the skiers boot is therebyheld by the toggle during normal maneuvers.

A spring assembly generally indicated at 36 is pivotally mounted uponthe third pivot 27 and extends rearwardly therefrom past the end of thetoggle and terminates in the binding hook 20. The spring assemblycomprises a tension spring 31 which extends longitudinally rearwardlyfrom the pivot 27, in the forward end of which there is engaged athreaded plug 32 threaded into the convolutions of the spring andproviding a pivot journal. A second threaded plug 33 is engaged with theconvolutions of the rear end of the spring 31, this plug comprising afaceted head which may be engaged by a wrench for substantially alongholding the plug immobile when desired, or for firmly tightening theplug in position so that it will hold itself immobile at most times. Theplug 33 has a longitudinally extending threaded bore therethrough inwhich there is threadedly engaged a long adjusting screw 35, the forwardend of which extends forwardly within the spring 3l and terminatesclosely adjacent the inner end of the plug 32 when the device isadjusted for a short boot. The screw 3S may be rotated to lengthen thespring device so that the ski may accommodate longer boots. The rear endof the screw has an Unthreaded, reduced portion into which is clampedthe swivel neck of the claw member 2G so that the claw member isrotatably mounted upon the screw. When the toggle device is thrown openas in FIG. 8, there is no tension exerted and the screw 35 may berotated by the fingers for longitudinal adjustment.

The exposed threaded portion of the screw 35 threadedly supports aknurled adjusting nut 40 which may be rotated by the fingers when thetoggle device is open and thereby moved longitudinally along the screw3S. The forward end of the nut is provided with an annular groove inwhich is engaged the upwardly extending follower end portion 4i of aslide 42 resting on the surface of the ski. The slide is in the form ofa metal sheet formed into an upwardly facing trough, the bottom of whichis held spaced from the upper surface of the ski by a pair of rearwardlyextending wings 43 at the rear, and a pair of forwardly extending wings44 at the front, which wings provide four spaced points of contact sothat friction is minimized. The intermediate portion of the plate isbent upwardly to provide a pair of curved portions 45 overhanging andslidably embracing the spring 31 whereby the slide is held in operativeposition. Each of the arms 26 of the link 25 is provided with adownwardly facing cam 47 which lies forwardly of the pivot 24. Each ofthe wings 4d is provided with an upwardly extending second cam d8 whichis operatively positioned slightly forwardly of the cam i7 (FlG. 4). Theoperative spacing of the cams may be adjusted by rotating the nut i0 sothat they may be placed close together for releasing the toggle underslight extension of the spring 3i, or may be spaced farther apart sothat a greater tensioning force is required to release the toggle.Obviously if the length of the spring assembly is adjusted by rotatingthe screw 35 so that the device may accommodate boots of differentlength, the nut 4i) must be thereupon rotated to adjust the operativespacing of the cams 47 and 4S.

The link 25 is provided with a rearwardly extending portion t) whichprovides an operating lever for setting or opening the toggle. Theoperating lever is preferably provided with a slot S1 in its uppersurface through which the nut 4d may be observed.

The operation of the device is as follows. When the toggle is opened asseen in FIG. 8, the binding 12 is slackened so that the skier may placehis boot on the ski with the toe of the boot engaged against thetoe-retaining means 1l, and then engage the binding with the heel of theboot. The lever Sti may now be thrown rearwardly to set the toggle andplace the binding under tension of the spring 3l, forcing the toe of theboot against the toeengaging member il. During normal maneuvers theskier may raise his heel from the surface of the ski without releasingthe front throw release, to an extent depending upon the adjustment ofthe screw 35 longitudinally and the adjustment of the spacing of thecams. However, when the heel is raised beyond a safe position the spring31 is tensioned to bring the cams into engagement and thereby throw thepivot 24 up beyond the centerline extending through the pivots 18 andZ7, opening the toggle so that the binding is slackened and the bootreleased from the ski. The engagement of the forward portions of thearms 26 of link 25 beneath the hook portion 17 of the anchor memberholds the forward end of the link down so that the toggle will open asthe cam 48 moves rearwardly beneath the cam 47.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that theinvention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim asmy invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit andscope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a ski having toe-engaging means fixed thereto for preventingforward movement of a ski boot with respect to the ski and a flexiblebinding encircling said toe-engaging means and extending rearwardly forengaging the heel of the boot and forcing the toe of the boot againstsaid toe-engaging means;

a front throw release means comprising an anchor member fixed to the skiforwardly of the forward end of said flexible binding,

a toggle pivotally connected at one end to said anchor member andextending rearwardly therefrom,

a tension spring pivotally connected to the other end of said toggle,extending rearwardly therefrom and connected to the forward end of saidbinding,

said toggle when in operative relation overlying said spring and placingsaid spring under tension to force the toe of the boot against saidtoe-engaging means,

said toggle comprising a downwardly facing cam,

an upwardly facing cam connected to the rear end of said spring andlying forwardly of said downwardly facing cam when said toggle is inoperative relation,

and guide means fixed to said ski and slidably engaging said binding tohold the forward end thereof adjacent the upper surface of the skiwhereby raising of the heel of the boot beyond a safe position withrespect to the surface of the ski tensions said spring to bring saidcams into engagement whereby to open said toggle, thus releasing thebinding from the boot.

2. A ski having toe-engaging means fixed to the ski for preventingforward movement of a skiers boot with respect of the ski,

a iiexible binding encircling said toe-engaging means for engagementwith the heel of the boot,

an anchor member fixed -to the surface of the ski for.

wardly of and spaced from the forward end of said binding,

a first transverse pivot mounted on said anchor member,

a toggle mounted on said anchor member,

said toggle comprising a first link pivotally mounted on and extendingrearwardly from said first pivot,

a second transverse pivot mounted on the free end of said first link,

a second toggle link mounted on said second pivot and operativelyextending therefrom forwardly toward said anchor member,

a third transverse pivot mounted on the free end of said second link andoperatively lying overcenter with respect to said first and secondpivots above the centerline therebetween, and

a tension spring assembly pivotally mounted on said third pivot,extending rearwardly beyond said second pivot and engaged with theforward end of said binding,

said spring assembly including a tension spring operatively undertension yieldably to urge the toe of the boot against said toe-engagingmeans,

said second toggle link including a downwardly facing first cam betweensaid second and third pivots,

said spring assembly including a slide member connected to the rearwardend of said spring assembly, extending forwardly beyond said secondpivot and resting on the surface of the ski,

said slide including an upwardly facing second cam operatively lyingforwardly of said first cam and engagcable therewith upon extension ofsaid spring,

and guide means fixed to the ski and restraining the forward portion ofsaid binding from raising with respect to the ski while permittinglongitudinal movement thereof with respect to the ski whereby uponlifting the heel of the boot from the ski beyond a safe position saidcams are engaged to throw said toggle open and release the heel of theboot from said binding.

3. The construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said second linkcomprises a portion extending beyond said second pivot to provide alever for setting said toggle in operative relation when the binding isengaged with a boot.

4. The construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said spring assemblycomprises a longitudinally extending screw extending coaxially into `andrearwardly from the rear end of said tension spring,

and a nut fixed to the rear end of said tension spring and threadedlyengaging said screw whereby the length of said spring assembly may beadjustably determined.

5. The construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said spring assemblycomprises la longitudinally extending screw extending coaxially into andrearwardly from the rear end of said tension spring,

a first nut fixed to the rear end of said tension spring and threadedlyengaging said screw whereby the length of said spring assembly may beadjustably determined,

a second nut threadedly engaged with the rearwardly extending portion ofsaid screw,

and means on said slide rotatively engaging said second nut whereby theoperative spacing of said cams may be adjusted.

6. The construction set forth in claim 2 wherein said anchor meanscomprises a rearwardly facing overhanging portion,

and the forward end of said toggle when in operative relation is snuglyengaged beneath said overhanging j portion.

7. In a ski having toe-engaging means fixed thereto for preventingforward movement of a ski boot, a heel-bind- .,ing extending forwardlyof the toe-engaging means,

a front throw release means comprising an anchor member fixed to the skiforwardly of the toe-engaging means,

a tension spring having a rear end connected to the heel-binding,

a toggle connected to the anchor member and the other end of the springand adapted to ytension the binding through the spring,

the toggle having an overcenter joint,

and cam means fixed to the rear end of the spring and adapted to bepulled backwardly along the ski by excess tension on the heel-bindingfor engaging the overeenter joint and pushing the overcenter joint to aposition collapsing the toggle,

the cam means being slidable along th ski and positively connectedsolely to the spring.

8. In a front throw release for a ski including a toeengaging means anda flexible binding for holding the heel of a ski boot,

an anchor member adapted to be fixed to the ski in a position ahead ofthe toe-engaging means,

a toggle having a breakable joint and connected to the anchor member andadapted to lie along the ski when in operative condition,

tension spring means having a front end connected to the toggle and alsohaving a rear end connected to the flexible binding,

and cam means slidable along the ski and positively connected to therear end of the spring means in a position such that when the springmeans is stretched to a predetermined extent the cam means breaks thetoggle joint,

the cam means being positively connected solely to the spring means.

9. In a heel binding,

cable means extending along a ski and having a rear portion adapted toengage a heel of a ski boot on the ski,

a tension spring extending along the ski forwardly of the cable means,

coupling means connecting the front end of the cable means to the rearend of the tension spring,

a post means xed to a portion of the ski ahead of the tension spring,

link means pivoted at the forward end thereof to the pos/t means,

a lever pivotally connected at a first portion thereof intermediate theends thereof to the rear end of the link means,

the lever also being pivotally connected at a second, end portionthereof to the forward end of the spring and movable between a releasingposition in which the first portion thereof is positioned above thecenterline of the spring `and a locking position in which the firstportion thereof is positioned below the centerline of the spring,

the lever also being provided with a cam follower portion projectingdownwardly therefrom when the lever is in its locking position,

a cam slidable on the ski by the coupling means between the lever andthe ski from a retracted position to a releasing position engaging thecam follower to move the first portion of the lever overcenter from itslocking position to its collapsing position,

and means for holding the second, end portion of the llever "againstupward movement while the first portion of the lever is moved by the camto its collapsing position,

the extent of movement of the rear end of the spring away from the frontend of the spring being limited solely by the ten-sion of the spring.

l0. In a heel binding,

cable means extending along a ski having a rear portion adapted toengage a heel of a ski boot on the ski,

tension spring means extending along the ski forwardly of the cablemeans,

coupling means connecting the front end of the cable means to the rearend of the tension spring means,

a post means xed to a portion of the ski ahead of the tension springmeans and having a rearwardly projecting hook portion spaced above theski,

link means pivoted at the forward end thereof to the post means,

a lever pivotally connected at a first portion thereof intermediate theends thereof to the rear end of the link means,

the lever also being pivotally connected at a second, end portionthereof to the forward end of the spring means and movable between areleasing position in which the first portion thereof is positionedabove the centerline of the spring means and a locking position in whichthe first portion thereof is positioned below the centerline of thespring means,

the lever also being provided with a cam follower portion projectingdownwardly therefrom when the lever is in its locking position,

and a cam slidable on the ski by the coupling means between the leverand the ski from a retracted position to a releasing position engagingthe cam follower to move the first portion of the lever overcenter fromits locking position to its collapsing position,

the second, end portion of the lever being held by the hook portionagainst upward movement while the first portion of the lever is movedupwardly by the cam to its collapsing position.

1l. ln a heel binding,

cable means for engaging a heel of a ski boot on a ski,

tension spring means,

coupling means coupling the cable means to one end of the spring means,

a lever coupled at a rst point thereof to the other end of the springmeans,

post means adapted to be fixed to the ski and provided with a rearwardlyextending hook portion spaced upwardly from the ski,

link means connecting a second point of the lever spaced along the leverfrom the first point to form a toggle-joint-linkage with the lever andthe spring means and movable between a collapsed position and a lockedposition,

the second point of the lever being positioned farther from the postmeans than the first point of the lever when the toggle-joint-linkage isin its locked position and also being positioned below the line of forcebetween the spring means and the first point of the lever when thetoggle-joint-linkage is in its locked position,

and a cam member slidable along the ski by the cou- -pling means from aretracted position to a position pushing the second point of the leverupwardly to an overcenter', collapsing position when excessive force isapplied to the cable means,

the hook portion serving to engage and hold against upward movement thefirst point of the lever as the cam means moves the second point of thelever upwardly to said overcenter, collapsing position.

12. In a heel binding,

a cable extending along a ski and having a rear portion adapted toengage the heel of a ski boot on the ski, anchor means positioned on theski in front of the ski boot,

an arm pivotally secured to the anchor means in a position extendingrearwardly from the anchor means,

a link having a free end portion and connected pivotally at a pivotpoint spaced substantially from the end portion thereof to the rear tothe rear end of the arm and movable between a folded position in whichthe free end portion of the link is positioned forwardly along the skifrom the pivot point and an extended position in which the free endportion of the link is positioned rearwardly along the ski from thepivot point,

a tension spring connected at a forward end thereof to the free endportion of the link and connected at the rear end thereof to the cable,

holding means normally holding the link in the folded position thereof,

and cam means carried by the rear end of the spring in a position underthe link when the link is in its folded position for actuating theholding means to permit movement of the link to its extended positionand movable freely for an indefinite distance with the rear end of thespring relative to the arm and the link.

13. In a heel binding,

a cable extending along a ski and having a rear portion adapted toengage the heel of a ski boot on the ski,

an anchor post positioned on the ski in front of the normal position ofthe ski boot on the ski.

an arm pivotally secured to the anchor post in a position extendingrearwardly from the anchor post,

a channel-shaped lever connected pivotally at a pivot point thereon tothe rear end of the arm and movable between a folded position in which aportion of the lever is positioned forwardly along the ski from thepivot point and the channel-shaped lever faces downwardly and anextended position in which said portion of the lever is positionedrearwardly along the ski from the pivot point and the channel-shapedlever faces upwardly,

a tension spring connected at a forward end thereof to said portion ofthe lever and connected at the rear end thereof to the cable,

holding means normally holding the lever in the folded position thereof,

and cam means carried by the rear end of the spring in a positioncovered by the lever when the lever is in its folded position foractuating the holding means to permit movement of the lever to itsextended position and movable with the rear end of the spring relativeto the arm and the lever without any positive restraint by the arm andthe lever,

the cam means having a generally tubular guide portion extending looselyaround the spring.

14. In a heel binding for a ski having a cable looped over the heel of aski boot and extending ahead of thc toe of the ski boot,

an anchor post secured to the ski,

a tension spring connected at its rear end to the cable,

a lever having a handle portion at one end connected at its other end tothe front end of said tension spring,

a link connected at its front end to the post and connected pivotally atits rear end to the central portion of the lever to form an overcentertoggle movable between a folded, contracted condition and an extendedcondition,

a cam slide connected at its rear end to the rear end of the spring andhaving a cam adapted to push the joint between the lever and the linkupwardly and overcenter to collapse the linkage when maximum safetension is applied to the spring,

and an overhanging member fixed against upward movement relative to thepost and serving to hold down the end of the lever connected to thespring to aid the cam in pushing the joint between the lever and thelink to its overcenter releasing position.

the cam serving when the toggle is in the folded, con-" tractedcondition thereof to engage the underside of the lever at a pointsufficiently far forward from the joint of the link and the lever toprevent downwardv movement of the forward end of the lever to an extentreleasing the toggle when the ski is subjected to vertical jars orshocks.

15. The heel binding of claim 14 in which the overhanging member is arearwardly extending hook on the post adapted to overhang the end of thelever which is connected to the tension spring to keep that end of thelever from moving upwardly with the central portion of the lever whenthe cam pushes the central portion of the lever upwardly to break thelocked condition of the toggle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,747,885 Rehacek May 29, 1956 2,793,046 Eckel May 21, 1957 2,994,543Hvam Aug. 1, 1961 3,012,793 Beyl Dec. l2, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 212,197Austria Nov. 25, 1960 220,530 Austria Mar. 26, 1962 68,381 France Nov.4, 1957 (Addition to 882,479) 1,115,441 France Ian. 3, 1956 538,351Italy Jan. 23, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES German application, Serial No.1,106,220, printed May 4, 1961.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 4013" CORRECTION Patent Noe 3,147,986 September 8, 1964 I-Ijalmar Hvam It is hereby certified that.error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read ask corrected below.

Column 4, line 38, for "of" read e to column 5, line 56, for "th" readthe Column 7, line 38, strike out "to the rear", second occurrence; line62, for "sk," read ski, n

Signed and sealed this 5th day of January 1965.,

(SEAL) Attest:

vERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Altesting f Officer 7 Commissionerof Patents

7. IN A SKI HAVING TOE-ENGAGING MEANS FIXED THERETO FOR PREVENTINGFORWARD MOVEMENT OF A SKI BOOT, A HEEL-BINDING EXTENDING FORWARDLY OFTHE TOE-ENGAGING MEANS, A FRONT THROW RELEASE MEANS COMPRISING AN ANCHORMEMBER FIXED TO THE SKI FORWARDLY OF THE TOE-ENGAGING MEANS, A TENSIONSPRING HAVING A REAR END CONNECTED TO THE HEEL-BINDING, A TOGGLECONNECTED TO THE ANCHOR MEMBER AND THE OTHER END OF THE SPRING ANDADAPTED TO TENSION THE BINDING THROUGH THE SPRING, THE TOGGLE HAVING ANOVERCENTER JOINT,